The Resume and Your Personal Brand

So many career services and resume writing professionals talk about "personal branding" today. It is so overused and cliche at this point...I must rebel. I understand the thrust of the argument and, at a certain level, agree. However, the advice regarding personal branding within a resume typically results in a sanitized version or account that doesn't depict the true nature of the individual.

Think about it! We all have unique strengths, flaws, passions, drivers, attitudes, and motives. Your "personal brand" needs to include these elements. Most do not...they simply state how you are just like everyone else. To successfully engage your audience, you must tap into these critical areas and harness them to help communicate how you are distinguished from all others.

Maybe the problem is that most resume writers and career services professionals have it in mind that the bulk of candidates they work with will be conducting the lion's share of their job search using job boards and submitting resumes through company websites. As a result, the candidate needs to "play it safe" and take the cookie-cutter approach. I propose that you showcase what makes you, well, you! And then suggest that you take that individuality and put it to work in your job search so that you don't simply become an applicant number of one among hundreds or thousands for each job you apply to.

To develop a resume that helps to distinguish you from the rest of the competition in this tough market, go to www.ittechexec.com or call us today at (866) 755-9800 to schedule an appointment.


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The Resume Formula: Is It Real?

So many career professionals today spout across social media networks about their formula of Do's and Don'ts, Must's and Mustn'ts. Many are even able to convey their "rules" in 140 characters or less. All of this information and the average job seeker who is reviewing the material is saying, "What? Are you kidding me? Is this really what I need to do to get a job?"

The answer, in essence, is "No!" I am full agreement that there are essential elements in the resume that employers will focus on. What gets lost in translation is that these elements take on greater weight the more a job seeker goes through the traditional channels of identifying and responding to job opportunities. Those would be using job boards, premium job sites, or submitting resumes to job postings on a specific company website. Essentially, this would include any channel in which your resume arrives in a batch (electronic or hard copy) along with almost everyone else. The only opportunities you have to differentiate yourself are through the use of keywords and a very limited amount of content that will be scanned by the decision maker if it makes it past the HR person.

If you consider yourself unique--and really, who among us isn't unique--alternate approaches exist. These options can be quite effective in helping you successfully navigate through the job search process. Whether you are an Engineering Director, an IT Executive, a Manufacturing Manager, or a Technical Team Lead, it is important to convey to your audience what makes you, well, you! How do those unique skills sets and personality traits supplement what the organization is looking to achieve? Focus on that...play it up and you want be with the rest of the cookie-cutter resume crowd.

To develop a resume that helps to distinguish you from the rest of the competition in this tough market, go to www.ittechexec.com or call us today at (866) 755-9800 to schedule an appointment.


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6 Tech Jobs For 2012

According to a recent InfoWorld report, the six hottest jobs in the technology field as we enter 2012 include the following:

1. Technical Architect
2. Data Scientist
3. Social Media Architect
4. Mobile Application Development Director
5. Enterprise Mobile Application Developer
6. Cloud Solutions Architect

Keep your eyes open for opportunities in these specialties to continue to grow. Having a resume that highlights your expertise in these areas can position you effectively for garnering such a role.

RESUME TIPS FOR TECHNICAL CONTRACTORS AND CONSULTANTS SEEKING IT OR TECHNICAL EXECUTIVE ROLES

It can be a tremendous challenge for someone whose technical background has been predominately as an independent contractor or consultant. Their technical positions tend to be short-term in nature. When they go for an IT executive or technical executive role, it usually results in their resume being excluded from consideration during the HR screening process.

The main reasons are:

1. The resume indicates job hopping.

2. The resume is not effectively branded for a corporate technical executive leadership role.

3. The resume is so long that most people won’t want to read it.

How Do I Overcome These Issues?

Creating an effective technical resume for an executive-level candidate that has been a consultant or contractor is not impossible. Creating common entries and listing client engagements within the entry can improve the appearance of longevity and help to streamline the resume so that all the appropriate information can be presented in 3 pages or less.

By focusing on what you achieved at each client, it places the emphasis of your experience on the elements that will resonate best with hiring executives and recruiters. Highlighting some of these key ingredients in the resume’s executive summary will help focus your message to the reader more clearly, creating a compelling value proposition as a technical executive.

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TECHNICAL RESUMES FOR INTERNATIONAL CANDIDATES

For technical candidates with an international or global background, applying for positions in the US is very different from what you have experienced overseas.

For technical candidates with an international or global background, applying for positions in the US is very different from what you have experienced overseas. Most international technical and technology professionals prepare and send a CV (curriculum vitae) to a prospective employer. A CV is a more exhaustive listing of all your work history, marital status, hobbies, interests, etc. US employers don't care about much of that information. In fact, it would be illegal to ask a candidate about some of these things. Moreover, most US employers are not interested in reviewing a resume that is 5 or 6 pages in length, or even longer!

Generally, US employers want a candidate to be able to communicate the value they would bring as technical executive in a resume that is 2 or 3 pages in length. All those great programming jobs or the position as an engineering intern you had way back when should not take up as much space on your resume as they did on your CV. In fact, depending on what they were and where they happened, it may not make much sense to include them at all!

In addition, it isn't necessary to list all the technologies you used to develop a certain software or deploy a new system. That generates too much detail and adds to your page count. It also diverts the attention of the reader and takes their focus from what should be your core message.

So when preparing your executive-level technical resume, consider your audience and the things that they are interested in before you deliver a document that is really designed for a separate group entirely.

Read more articles at http://www.ittechexec.com